In Search of Grace (30 page)

             
“
She said he
had no hair.  I asked if he was bald
,
and she said yes.  She also mentioned
something about
his
c
lothes
and
painter.  When I asked if he was a painter, she
seemed
confused
.
  She held up one finger before
she
fell
asleep.
It is
not much, but it is something. 
Let’s
get going on what we do know
.”

             
Seth nodded to one of the men that raised his hand.  “Yes?”

             
“
Maybe
she was thinking of the one piece coveralls?”  Seth raised eyebrows encouraged the officer to continue.  “You
know
,
the ones that mechanics wear…and painters too
,
I think
.
”

             
“Excellent!  That’s good.” 
Tommy
wrote hurriedly on the board. 
“
That is
what we need.  Now
to
what we do
know
;
all
victims have dark brown
hair
and brown eyes
.
 
Their h
eight is a
pproximately 5’9 to 5’11
,
weight
between
140-160 lbs.

             
These are not small wome
n, so he has to subdue them somehow with some form of a weapon
or drug
of choice
.

             
He rapes all of his victims
,
and we
assume
he wears a condom as the there is never any trace
of semen
found on their bodies.
  He then strangles them to death.
 
After that, he
stages the bodies.
Hair
is arranged a particular way
around
them
.  One arm
outstretched
and their e
yes are
always
left
open
after death
,
while their
head
is
turned in the
same
direction
of their outstretched arm
.
”
 
At this, e
veryone in the room shifted
in their seats.
  They knew that this one detail was what helped him determine that the last victim was still alive.  A clue they had not caught.

             
“For whatever reason, he lays a
bouquet
of flowers
– lilies to be exact -
on the body with the
victim
holding them.  This has to have some deep
significance
to the killer.
”
 

             
Seth felt a chill run through him
,
as
he turned and stared at the wall of photographs.  He had thought of the white lilies that Alex had received. 
S
taring at the other victims
,
he not
iced
how much they looked like her.

             
“Walton.  Hey
,
Walton!  You ok
ay
?
”

             
Clearing his throat, he turned back to the group.  “We are lucky to have an expert here today that can explain
some stuff
about our killer
’
s thought process
that could possibly help us.  Please give your
undivided
attention to Dr. Anderson.  Doctor?”

             
Seth watched as a portly man stepped up to the front of the room. 
Taking in the
clothes
that were
wrinkled
and
spotted
with many coffee stains
,
the rumpled hair,
glasses
sliding
to the tip of his nose
,
all giving him an
unkempt
look
.  Seth hoped the men were not deceived by
Anderson
’s
appearance.  He was top in his field and just happened to owe
him
a favor or
two
. 

             
“Ahem.  From all
the information
that I received
,
and having gone over the
photographs
, you definitely have a serial killer
on your hands
.”

             
“No shit
.
”  One of the officers coughed into his hand
,
and the group
snickered.

             
Dr. Anderson
’s face
red
dened
.

             
“Gentlemen
, s
omeone have something to say?” 
They
all looked at Seth, heard his tone and immediately went quiet.

             
“
I apologize
for the
officers
,
p
lease continue
,
Dr. Anderson.”

             
“Thank you.  This person seems to be reliving an experience that
was not only
frustrat
ing, but to him traumatic.
  Each victim looks like the
other, which
points to someone that may have
been
family member, girlfriend, or a crush that has the same physical appearance
.  This
victim
does not necessarily need to know the killer, but there is a great chance they met, had
some sort of
a conversation
at one point in time
.
Everything about the crime scene points to his anger
.
The body positioning is
his way of
making the situation ok
ay
.  Meaning that
he believes that
the victim not only wanted his advances
,
but the
arm-outstretched
points to him saying the victim begs him to come back to her.
My first guess is tha
t he considers her as his bride,
leaving her at the alter
,
clutching her flowers.
Carving his initials on her shoulder represents
a form of
tattooing
. 
This symbolizes s
omething
permanent
to remember him by
.
 
After he walks
away,
he
probably walks without even looking back.  This is what gives him his control and his power.
  This time he leaves her and not the other way around.
”

             
He paused now
,
seeing with satisfaction that he had the room’s full attention with all of the officers taking notes. 
“He goes through great lengths to make sure each victim is dead.  He may even “hang around” to ensure that the death has happened
but extremely unlikely.  He
does not
like
unfinished business.
It is safe to assume that anyone left alive has a good chance of a return visit
at some point
.
”
 
Looking at Seth for conformation, he continued.  “
No
I.D.
has
ever been found on any of the victims
,
making me believe that he takes it - whether it is a wallet or cell phone.
”
             
“
That’s
sick…” 

             
“Yes. 
Yes,
it is sick…but the most important thing to remember is that somewhere
t
here was a first victim
,
men
,
before these three.
She is out there somewhere, and there is a good chance that she is alive.  He may or may not know who or where she is
,
but I believe that she is his trigger point.”  He paused to make the full
impact
.  “She is his prize
that got away
,
a
nd he won’t stop until he has her.  Till death do
they
part?
”

             
Seth stood eyeing everyone in the room. 
“
We need to stay vigilant
,
and I want e
xtra patrols at all the
reservations. 
It cannot be a coincidence
that is where
all of the bodies were found.
Thanks everyone.
”

             
Shuffling the
papers,
he put everything back in order.  He would need to take these home and study them.

             
“Hey
,
Walton.”

             
Seth looked to the door and saw a younger patrol office
r
gesturing
to him.

             
“
Yes. 
What is it?”

             
“
Your
girl
friend is here.”

             
“Alex?”

             
The man shrugged.  Seth hurried out to the reception area
wondering if Alex was ok
.  He heard the voice before seeing him.  “Oh, look at you!  Just take me away and lock me up, because you are way t
o
o good looking in that uniform.”  He heard a number of m
e
n laughing hysterically.  Seth smiled
as he entered
the room.  “Charles?”

             
Charles turned and started clapping with joy at seeing Seth.  “There he is
,
anoth
er one of the brightest, finest
and handsomest in all of
Massachusetts
.”  Walking slowly, his clothes flowing behind him, Charles hugged Seth
,
then proceeded to kiss him on both cheeks, much to the enjoyment of the whole police station.
  “But alas, this one has had his heart stolen by my very bestest friend
.”  Turning back to the original object of his affection,
Charles
held
two
fingers up to his ear and mouthed
,
“Call me
.
”  The station roared with laughter seeing the officer turn a bright shade of red.
  Seth hid a smile.  “Break it up
,
men.”

             
Slowly the crowd
reluctantly
dissipated
as
Seth turned to Charles.

             
“
I
s everything ok?”

             
Charles turned and immediately sobered, losing the
gaiety
act.  “Is there some place we can go and talk in private?”

             
Seth had never seen Charles so serious.  “
Of cou
r
se.
”

             
Walking down the hallway, Seth pointed to the conference
room
that they had just vacated.  Charles stepped in with Seth right behind him
,
closing the door.

             
“I
s
something wrong?  Is Alex
ok?”

             
Charles said nothing
,
and Seth realized he was staring at the pictures that covered the wall.  “Jesus, sorry Charles, I didn’t think… We can go to another room if you like.”